John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (October 9, 1940 - December 8, 1980) was an English singer-songwriter and member of The Beatles, whose song "Imagine" was featured in the episode "When Irish Eyes Are Crying" of the series Miami Vice. Career For Lennon's Beatles career, see John Lennon's Beatles Career 1957-1970 Lennon got his start in 1957 in the group Quarrymen, which was the precursor to The Beatles, and in 1962 began recording as such with the classic lineup of Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison. Lennon and McCartney wrote the bulk of the Beatles' songs, reaching the #1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 chart 21 times, including one week in 1964 when the group occupied the entire Top 5 of the chart, a feat unmatched before or since. Lennon sparked a huge controversy in 1966 when he claimed in a magazine interview the Beatles were "bigger than Jesus Christ", which caused a backlash in the United States when the story reached there, and they stopped touring after they completed their US tour that year. In 1968 he completed his first solo album with his wife, Yoko Ono, Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins, followed by Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions and Wedding Album. He later released the single "Give Peace A Chance" as a protest of the ongoing Vietnam War, then disbanded the Beatles in 1970. 1970-1980 Lennon formed the Plastic Ono Band, released their self-titled debut in 1970, then what is considered his masterpiece, Imagine in 1971. The title track debuted at #20 on the Hot 100, unprecedented at that time, and reached the Top 10 in three weeks, peaking at #3. In December 1971 Lennon released his peace-themed Christmas song "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)", which is still played during the holidays today. During this time then-President Richard Nixon, feeling Lennon's anti-war beliefs was a threat to internal security, tried to deport Lennon, denying him a green card until 1976. In 1973 Lennon released Mind Games, the title track reached #18 in the US. Walls and Bridges (featuring "Whatever Gets You Through The Night", including his friend Elton John on backing vocals, which was his only American #1 single during his lifetime) followed. Lennon wrote the song "Fame" for David Bowie, which also hit #1, but then went into semi-retirement in 1975 following the birth of his son Sean. In 1980 he returned to music releasing Double Fantasy (including the #1 posthumous single, "(Just Like) Starting Over", and the Top 10's "Woman" and "Watching The Wheels"), but never lived to see the album reach #1. Additional material not used on Double Fantasy was included in the 1984 album Milk and Honey (featuring "Nobody Told Me"). Death Lennon was shot in the back four times by Mark David Chapman in the evening of December 8, 1980, at 10:50pm, he was pronounced dead at 11:07pm at Roosevelt Hospital. That night on Monday Night Football, Howard Cosell announced Lennon's death to a national television audience in his unique style. Chapman was convicted of Lennon's murder and sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, each application for parole has been denied. The tributes were endless; Elton John wrote the song "Empty Garden" in his memory, former Beatle George Harrison recorded "All Those Years Ago" in tribute to Lennon, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice (first as a Beatle in 1988 and as a solo act in 1994), and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Personal Life Lennon married Cynthia Powell (1939-2015) in 1962, his son Julian (who would have two Top 10 singles in 1984) was born in 1963, during his marriage Lennon began an affair with Yoko Ono, which would lead to his divorce and married Ono in 1969. After several miscarriages, Ono gave birth in 1975 to his son Sean (also a musician). Category:Music performers